The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 13
Exodus 16:2-4,9-15 Psalm 78:23-29 Ephesians 4:1-16 John 6:24-35
“Jesus answered the crowd,’Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
As a kid I took piano lessons from our very accomplished church organist. While I wasn’t the most disciplined of his students, I nonetheless looked forward to each Saturday morning session because I enjoyed learning how to play and we spent a lot of time on the classics. My love of hymns clearly stemmed from my years of training from Dr. Ralph. But I also think I had another reason for looking forward to Saturday mornings: the post-lesson stop at New Roma Bakery for danish and baguettes of freshly baked French bread. The smell alone was worth all the practicing of the scales and music assigned for each week. Knowing that we’d stop after my lesson was motivation enough to keep me working on my burgeoning musical skills. Thankfully, it’s still in operation at the same location in which it began in 1934.
There appears historical evidence to indicate that bread has been some sort of staple in cultures throughout the world going back some 30,000 years. It’s estimated that roughly 60% of the world’s population eats bread on a daily basis and that each American consumes approximately 55-60 pounds of bread per year. Before Julie and I started our new eating regime, bread in all its forms was a staple in our home and I think I speak for both of us, we do miss it.
In today’s Gospel reading from John, we’re reminded that Jesus has just finished the miraculous feeding of the 5,000+ with the meagor rations of a young boy that consisted of 5 barley loaves and 2 fish. The crowds were still clamoring for him, seeking another meal to satisfy their physical needs whereas this should have been a sign to them of Jesus’ divine nature and identity as the true Messiah. It’s obvious that they don’t have any appreciation for the miracle that happened just the previous day nor are we told they offered any thanks to God for the miraculous appearance of more than enough for all to eat. Jesus tells them to work “for the food that endures to eternal life” but the crowd misunderstood his statement and asked about works required by God. Jesus replies that the work God requires is that people believe in the Messiah. The food Jesus is speaking about, the “true bread from heaven,” is something that nourishes people’s souls spiritually for all eternity. This is obviously far superior to the manna offered to their ancestors in the wilderness which was temporal and intended to meet their daily physical needs or the bread and fish from 24 hours ago.
There’s an old saying that “you are what you eat.” As I mentioned earlier, 60% of the world’s population partakes of bread each and every day. But we all know that not every kind of bread is good for us. Not all bread is nutritious nor is all bread affordable. To know whether what we are eating is good for us, we need to take a look at the ingredients. I’m reminded of the tag line for Wonder Bread from my youth: “Builds Strong Bodies 12 Different Ways.” I assumed this to be a good thing and so I made sure I ate lots of it, much to my chagrin as a young teenager. Wonder Bread really wasn’t great for me and it’s ability to satisfy my hunger didn’t last very long. Shelves at grocery stores and craft bakeries now offer lots of varieties of bread that do provide some healthful attributes to our diet. But what about a different kind of bread that many ingest on a regular basis? How many of us eat from the loaf of anger and frustration? What about the bread of suspicion and anxiousness? What about those who partake of the bread that sustains them in the form of guilt and depression, or the bread of power, pride, and greed. The bread so many in our world consume today is riddled with mold and too dry even for croutons.
Another aspect of this earthly bread is that any satisfaction we derive from it soon fades away. Many in our culture are enticed by the bread of fame and fortune, drugs, booze, and sex, or the next new car, house, or latest “must-have” trinket. Our culture is forever showing us the bread of this world as something we must crave and enjoy until the next new, shiny brand or flavor comes along. We live in a world that is always seeking the next new something or other: the next new president of the country, the next new congressperson, the next new set of laws that revoke the previous set. Even when we consider the positive aspect of our secular and temporal bread options, we must remember that they too are but a passing memory, even those of our dearest remembrances. They are like fireworks that are bright and beautiful but last only for the moment and many around us are still looking for those “fireworks moments” every day. Yes, they are fun and exciting. but they do not fulfill one’s heart’s desire.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is talking about a different kind of bread, the “true bread from heaven,” “.....the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” The bread Jesus speaks of brings “life” and sustains us for all eternity. This bread satisfies our heart’s desires, not just our need to have full stomachs of new and exciting experiences. The bread of Jesus empowers us through this life and the next. This bread reaps harvests of joy, hope, peace, patience, compassion, and love. This is the bread that supplies our health and wellbeing while deeply nourishing our souls.
Continuing with the theme on the importance of what we eat, I offer this rather popular legend of unknown origin titled “The Two Wolves” sometimes attributed to the Cherokee or Lenape people:
One evening, an elderly Cherokee brave told his grandson About a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, my son, the battle is between
Two wolves inside us all. One is evil.
It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, Arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority,
Lies, false-pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is good. It is peace, love, hope, serenity, Humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, Generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
The grandson thought about it for a moment and Then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied,
“The one that you feed.”
In a few moments we will all feed on the “true bread of heaven.” We will gather symbolically around this altar to receive the bread of life and the cup of salvation. We will feed on the life-giving body of our Savior. We will be nourished by his ever-satisfying and sustaining body and blood. This gift of life is freely offered and available for all, a gift that ensures that we will never be hungry or thirsty again. Jesus is offering his very self for each of us here today and for the whole world. These wafers and wine that will be sanctified by the Holy Spirit will become for us the food and drink of unending life in him. Jesus, the bread of life, is all we need and he delights in our desire for him.
Dear friends, the bread of this world that demands something from us, that saps our strength and vitality for life, that makes us dull and slow, that taps into our worst emotions and behaviors, is all around us for the taking. But the bread that keeps us filled and nourished with the love of God, that empowers us to live lives of abundance and joy, that breaks the chains of oppression of all kinds, is available, right here, right now in the form of the bread of life, our risen Lord. These sacraments of bread and wine will guide and lead us into the world that is filled with the bread of lies and deception.
Jesus’ eternal bread will strengthen us with love and courage to serve God with gladness and singleness of heart. It will fulfill all that we need and desire. But let us be mindful of the words from Eucharistic Prayer C, that we not come to this table for solace only, but for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal. The psalmist puts it this way: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Welcome to the table of the bread of life. Amen